Learn about

Fines

No one likes getting fines! But they exist to protect our environment and human health from pollution. Environmental pollution may be defined as substances that are found in the environment at a greater concentration than would naturally be found, as a result of human activity. A pollution incident includes the instance of when the pollution is occurring, and the instance of when it is likely to occur.

Fines

No one likes getting fines! But they exist to protect our environment and human health from pollution. Environmental pollution may be defined as substances that are found in the environment at a greater concentration than would naturally be found, as a result of human activity. A pollution incident includes the instance of when the pollution is occurring, and the instance of when it is likely to occur.

If a Council Officer observes a breach of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, Holroyd City Council may use Environmental Protection Notices to direct specific works to be undertaken. These notices are a Clean Up Notice or a Prevention Notice. Currently, a $506 administration fee accompanies these Notices.

A Clean Up Notice may be issued if pollution has occurred or is likely to occur on your site. If you do not comply with the Clean Up Notice, Council may issue a Penalty Infringement Notice.

A Prevention Notice is issued in cases where Council observes you or your employees doing something that could result in environmental harm. If you disagree with Council, you can appeal against the Prevention Notice in court. However, non-compliance with a Prevention Notice can also result in a fine.

In addition, Council Officers are able to issue Penalty Infringement Notices for the following offences. Here is a summary of the offences and fines:

Problem

Penalty

Fail to comply with Cleanup/Prevention Notice

$4000 - $8000

Pollute waters

$4000 - $8000

Cause air pollution

$200 - $4000

Cause emission of noise

$200 - $1800

Illegally dumped waste

$2000 - $8000

Water pollution - checking our creeks

Water pollution can originate from a variety of sources. These can include things like litter, chemicals, garden clippings, sand and soil.

Street gutters and storm water pits, which are found along all of our roads, drain directly into our local creeks and waterways. Any pollutants that are placed in these areas will drain into these waterways, affecting plants and aquatic life.

Anybody that pollutes our waterways by placing unwanted chemicals and waste down our stormwater drains is committing a water pollution offence. Under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, hefty on-the-spot fines of $4000-$8000 can be issued to the person or company who is causing the pollution. In more serious situations, you can even be taken to court for causing water pollution!

Water pollution - checking our creeks

Water pollution can originate from a variety of sources. These can include things like litter, chemicals, garden clippings, sand and soil.

Street gutters and storm water pits, which are found along all of our roads, drain directly into our local creeks and waterways. Any pollutants that are placed in these areas will drain into these waterways, affecting plants and aquatic life.

Anybody that pollutes our waterways by placing unwanted chemicals and waste down our stormwater drains is committing a water pollution offence. Under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, hefty on-the-spot fines of $4000-$8000 can be issued to the person or company who is causing the pollution. In more serious situations, you can even be taken to court for causing water pollution

The following activities are common causes of water pollution:

washing a car on the street - cars should be washed on grass, or within a designated wash bay;

cleaning paint brushes;

discharging oils into the street gutter;

hosing garden waste and clippings into the street gutter;

allowing rain to wash soil and sediment off construction sites.

Noise pollution

Is your neighbour’s old pool pump causing a racket? Have you been annoyed by your neighbour’s tendencies to stay up late using powertools? Or maybe you thought that no one would mind if you left your air conditioner running right throughout the night? Well, it turns out that these things can be very irritating to some and can cause sleep disturbance to the people around you.

Noise pollution

Is your neighbour’s old pool pump causing a racket? Have you been annoyed by your neighbour’s tendencies to stay up late using power tools? Or maybe you thought that no one would mind if you left your air conditioner running right throughout the night? Well, it turns out that these things can be very irritating to some and can cause sleep disturbance to the people around you.

Luckily, the NSW Protection of the Environment (Noise Control) Regulation 2008 places limits on the time of day certain equipment can be used.

On a more serious note, noise can also be restricted by Council or Police if it is deemed to be ‘offensive’ under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997. Various legal directions can be issued to alleviate the noise; for example, a Noise Abatement Direction or a Prevention Notice.

Time restrictions when noise should not be heard in a habitable* room in a neighbour’s residence.

*Habitable room means any room other that a garage, storage area, bathroom, laundry, toilet or pantry.

**This applies whether or not the vehicle is located on residential premises.

Midnight to 8 amon Friday, Saturday or any day preceding a public holiday10 pm to 8 am on any other day

Air conditioners and heat pump water heaters

10 pm to 8 amon Friday, Saturday or any day preceding a public holiday10 pm to 7 am on any other day

Motor vehicles(except when entering or leaving residential premises)

8 pm to 8 amon Friday, Saturday or any day preceding a public holiday8 pm to 7 am on any other day

Refrigeration units fitted to motor vehicles**

8 pm to 8 amon Friday, Saturday or any day preceding a public holiday8 pm to 7 am on any other day

Air pollution

Air pollution can originate from a variety of sources. Many people may think that it is from industrial sources or similar, however, the most common source within residential areas is from backyard burning and wood heaters!

Smoke from wood heaters is a major cause of air pollution. In fact, during winter, wood heaters can produce up to seven times more air pollution than cars!

Air pollution

Air pollution can originate from a variety of sources. Many people may think that it is from industrial sources or similar, however, the most common source within residential areas is from backyard burning and wood heaters!

Smoke from wood heaters is a major cause of air pollution. In fact, during winter, wood heaters can produce up to seven times more air pollution than cars!

If you have a wood heater or are thinking of installing one, remember the following things you can do to ensure your heater operates more effectively:

Check your heater complies with Australian Standard 4013, because if it doesn’t, it is less efficient and more likely to produce pollution.

Use only aged dry wood. Freshly cut wood needs to be stored in a dry area for 8-12 months before use

Don’t burn rubbish or treated/painted wood.

Maintain the fire burning brightly, don’t let it smoulder.

Don’t let your fire smoulder overnight on the lowest setting; burn off the remaining wood on the highest setting and allow your house to retain the heat overnight.

Council can issue Smoke Abatement Directions under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 for heaters which are emitting excessive smoke. This will require the operator address the issue of excessive smoke* within 21 days. If excessive smoke is observed following this period, (within a 6 month period) a $200 - $400 fine may be issued for not complying with the Smoke Abatement Direction.

The burning of any garden waste or household waste is prohibited within the Holroyd City Council area (Protection of the Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation 2010). This waste should be either composted or, alternatively, removed to a waste facility licensed to accept it.

*Excessive smoke means the emission of a visible plume of smoke from a chimney for a continuous period of not less than 10 minutes, including a period of not less than 30 seconds when the plume extends at least 10 metres from the point at which the smoke is emitted from the chimney.

Land pollution

Land pollution can occur following certain industrial activities which have been carried out at a premise, or where activities have not been carried out in an environmentally friendly way.

Land pollution

Land pollution can occur following certain industrial activities which have been carried out at a premise, or where activities have not been carried out in an environmentally friendly way.

Council commonly considers issues of land contamination and remediation when industrial sites undergo redevelopment, however, specific instances such as chemical spills or illegal dumping may result in the issue of a Clean Up or Prevention Notice under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.

Common soil contaminants include:

asbestos;

hydrocarbons (paint, fuel , oils);

PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls);

solvents (BTEX – benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene);

heavy metals (arsenic, chromium, mercury);

fertilisers (calcium phosphate, ammonium sulphate);

pesticides/herbicides (organochlorines, organophosphates).

HEAP

Holroyd City Council conducts regular inspections of all industrial sites within the Holroyd Local Government Area. This is called the Holroyd Environmental Assessment Program (HEAP). Businesses are required to take all reasonable steps to prevent pollution from occurring and to protect the environment.

HEAP

Holroyd City Council conducts regular inspections of all industrial sites within the Holroyd Local Government Area. This is called the Holroyd Environmental Assessment Program (HEAP). Businesses are required to take all reasonable steps to prevent pollution from occurring and to protect the environment. These steps include:

showing that all that could have been reasonably done to prevent an incident from occurring has been done;

ensuring that only clean water flows down the drains on or around the site;

only industrial waste water for which you have a trade waste agreement may be discharged to sewer;

ensuring your waste is properly stored on your site, and then properly disposed of by a licensed contractor;

Erosion and sediment control

Soil erosion from construction sites causes major environmental problems for waterways and aquatic life. Sediments washed into waterways impact heavily on aquatic plants and animals and their habitat. Sedimentation also blocks stormwater drains, causing waterways to silt up and increasing the risk of flooding. A single building site can lose truckloads of soil in one storm!

Erosion and sediment control

Soil erosion from construction sites causes major environmental problems for waterways and aquatic life. Sediments washed into waterways impact heavily on aquatic plants and animals and their habitat. Sedimentation also blocks stormwater drains, causing waterways to silt up and increasing the risk of flooding. A single building site can lose truckloads of soil in one storm!

Developers and builders have a legal obligation to take all reasonable care to prevent soil erosion and sediment loss from construction sites. This also applies to other trades people such as excavators & earthmovers, landscapers, concreters, painters & delivery drivers.

Supervisors need to ensure that workers under their control (e.g. sub-contractors) do not breach environmental laws.

Under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, prosecution and on-the-spot fines of up to $8000 apply to persons or businesses who allow soil or other pollutants to enter stormwater drains or waterways, or place materials in a position where this may occur.

Council regularly monitors construction sites to ensure that no environmental pollution is caused.

Connect downpipes from the guttering to the stormwater drain as soon as possible.

Fill in and compact trenches immediately after services have been laid.

Stabilise and revegetate disturbed areas as soon as possible; turf strips are commonly used for this purpose particularly along the kerbside.

Check erosion and sediment controls regularly, especially when rain is expected and directly after rain.

Regularly sweep and collect material from the road and footpath, and never hose these areas.

Each site is different, and sediment and erosion control requirements need to be assessed on a site-by-site basis. An Erosion & Sediment Control Plan may be required with your Development Application (DA) to ensure that building materials and sediment are well maintained on site.

Control measures need to be installed before excavation or site disturbance. They need to be maintained in good working order & repair throughout the construction or development work and until 70% revegetation cover has been established.

Cigarette butts and their environmental impact

If people thought about the environmental impact they were causing every time they threw away a cigarette butt, they probably wouldn’t do it! Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter and make up almost half of all litter. They are a huge threat to the cleanliness of our streets, to waterways and to aquatic life. When cigarette butts are left on the ground to decompose, they release toxic substances into the soil and water. Even after the paper and tobacco breaks down, the filter can remain for up to 12 years. So when you think about the 7 billion cigarette butts that are thrown out each year in Australia, that’s a lot of litter and a lot of damage.

Fines for littering

Littering is a serious issue. That’s why there are fines for doing the wrong thing. On-the-spot fines can be issued for littering, ranging from $80 to $900. This includes litter from uncovered loads, flicking cigarette butts or other items from motor vehicles, leaving rubbish behind at a park or beach, and dumping bags of rubbish or household items like toasters, heaters and fridges.

Fines for littering

Littering is a serious issue. That’s why there are fines for doing the wrong thing. On-the-spot fines can be issued for littering, ranging from $80 to $900. This includes litter from uncovered loads, flicking cigarette butts or other items from motor vehicles, leaving rubbish behind at a park or beach, and dumping bags of rubbish or household items like toasters, heaters and fridges.

Holroyd City Council considers littering to be a serious threat to our environment. The single most common litter item in Australia is the cigarette butt, accounting for close to half of all litter. The facts are that cigarette butts can take up to 12 years to break down, and across Australia, 7 billion butts are thrown away each year. The maximum penalty for this offence in the Local Court is $1,100.

Holroyd City Council currently operates a Littering from Motor Vehicles Enforcement Program. The program involves a range of Council Officers who have been trained to detect littering offences both within and outside of the Holroyd Local Government Area (LGA). Where littering offences are detected within the LGA, Penalty Infringement Notices are issued directly to the registered owner of those vehicles. These fines range from $250 for individuals to $500 for corporations. So if you are thinking of throwing your cigarette butt from your motor vehicle – don’t! Apart from damaging our environment, you may be spotted in the act and consequently fined by an Authorised Officer.

Details of offences occurring outside of the LGA are referred to the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) for further action. Visit them for more information on fines and littering offences.

Why do we give a toss about littering?

No one likes visiting a public place and seeing items of rubbish everywhere. Litter includes items like cigarette butts, food scraps, bottles and packaging. But littering isn’t just ugly. It is an environmental problem. Littering pollutes our waterways, streets and parks and causes environmental damage. Bags of dumped rubbish can attract rats and cause offensive odour too. Littering can also affect an area’s image and tourism income. Would you swim at a beach or picnic in a park with dumped rubbish and litter all around you? Research has shown that littering behaviour is affected by things like lack of social pressure to do the right thing. The message is clear - littering is socially unacceptable behaviour; we are all responsible for the cleanliness of the places we visit; and we must put our rubbish in the bin or take it with us. At the end of the day, it’s bad for the environment, it makes public places look awful, and it makes more sense to invest the millions of dollars it takes to manage litter, into our communities, rather than to clean up the litter.

Why do we give a toss about littering?

No one likes visiting a public place and seeing items of rubbish everywhere. Litter includes items like cigarette butts, food scraps, bottles and packaging. But littering isn’t just ugly. It is an environmental problem. Littering pollutes our waterways, streets and parks and causes environmental damage. Bags of dumped rubbish can attract rats and cause offensive odour too. Littering can also affect an area’s image and tourism income. Would you swim at a beach or picnic in a park with dumped rubbish and litter all around you? Research has shown that littering behaviour is affected by things like lack of social pressure to do the right thing. The message is clear - littering is socially unacceptable behaviour; we are all responsible for the cleanliness of the places we visit; and we must put our rubbish in the bin or take it with us. At the end of the day, it’s bad for the environment, it makes public places look awful, and it makes more sense to invest the millions of dollars it takes to manage litter, into our communities, rather than to clean up the litter.

Hey Tosser! 2015 Litter Education Project Kicks Off in Merrylands.

Holroyd City Council has received funding from the NSW Environment Protection Authority to conduct a litter education project focused on reducing the amount of cigarette butt and chewing gum litter in the Merrylands CBD. As part of the project Council has organised some street theatre in McFarlane Street where actors will distribute free portable ashtrays and do their best to spread the word about the negative impacts of litter on our community and the environment.

Community education will be followed up with an enforcement campaign resulting in $60 fines for littering in the street, and $200 fines for those seen littering from motor vehicles. If you would like a free portable ashtray (so you always have a lawful disposal solution for your butts) contact Council on 9840 9664 and we will arrange to send one out to you.

Get involved

Clean Up and Littering Abatement Programs

You can help look after our environment by participating in a Clean Up Australia Day event. You can join an existing group or start your own. Get started here.

Animals – noise pollution (barking) and poo-llution

It’s natural for dogs to bark at things that make them uneasy or excited, like fireworks, thunder and strangers, but persistent barking can be perceived as offensive noise. Be courteous to your neighbours and monitor your dog’s barking. Sometimes the neighbour may be unaware that their dog is barking excessively, especially if they are at work all day. A simple conversation with your neighbour can often go a long way in resolving any issues.

And while we are talking dogs and pollution, train your dog not to poop in public places. If it does, pick it up! All it takes is a plastic bag! You can also train your dog to 'go at home'. Start when the dog is young, and make sure you have a place that your dog can use for toilet purposes (even if you do not have a garden).

The way we see it, this is all part of looking after our environment and being a responsible pet owner!

Contact

Give us a call

If you still have a question, we are happy to have a chat. Call our Customer Services section on 9840 9840 and just let them know what it’s about so they can best direct you to the right person in our team.

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